Banning smartphones for kids is just another technology-fearing moral panic

Author

Associate Professor of Communication Studies, West Virginia University

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Nicholas Bowman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

The effort appears to be well-meaning and supportive of healthy childhood development. But from my perspective as a media psychologist, informed by research into the uses and effects of communication technology, I see that the group’s concerns fit a common historical pattern of undue alarm over new technology. Human innovation advances rapidly, but most people’s understanding of new items and capabilities can’t keep up. The result is a sense of moral panic over what we fear will be negative effects on us all, and even on society at large.

As we know from research on sex education, teaching fear and avoidance of something can’t always protect people from negative consequences: Sexual abstinence instruction doesn’t prevent teen pregnancies, but rather increases their frequency. Moral panics about technology similarly encourage people to withdraw from, rather than engage with and understand, the tools of today and tomorrow. The concerns of parents and groups such as PAUS are valid, but they shouldn’t be dealt with by banning technology. Rather, children and adults should work together to understand new innovations and learn to use them in productive ways.

A history of technology and panic

One of the earliest examples of a moral panic related to information technology can be found in Socrates’ concerns about writing. In the lecture later, ironically, recorded in writing as “Phaedrus,” the ancient Greek philosopher said written words divorced information from its original spoken source, and said writing things down would irreversibly weaken people’s memories. These may seem quaint worries today, but they were notable critiques in a time where systematic reasoning and oral debate were bellwethers of intelligence.

Smartphones may be particularly difficult to evaluate, because one device has so many capabilities – for both good and ill.

Distinguishing panic from problem

Skepticism toward technology is important, so we can avoid misusing technology in harmful ways – such as using X-ray machines to figure out what size shoes a person needs to buy. Indeed, philosopher Philippe Verdoux argues that technological advances increase the chances of any one invention destroying us all. But as worrying as Verdoux’s warning might be, he doesn’t suggest avoiding innovation. Rather, he says the most productive response is to develop a deep understanding of what a given invention’s uses are, including its potential for good and bad consequences.

Using technology safely

Engaging with new technologies cautiously – and, for children, under adult supervision – is a better approach than banning the unknown. The American Academy of Pediatricianssuggests limiting children’s access to computer, smartphone and TV screens. But rather than banning screen time entirely, the group recommends parents and kids work together to figure how how best to use smartphones and other devices.